Redistricting: Fed up with political games

Our governor recently said on the radio that Maryland's redistricting process was "fair and open." In a narrow sense, perhaps he is correct. But in a larger, sense, the governor's statement is simply not true.

It's a lie intended to cover over what any reasonably well-informed citizen already knows: The redistricting process, and the proposed redistricting map, are pure power politics that have nothing to do with openness and transparency and everything to do with promoting and prolonging Democratic control.

I say this as a life-long Democrat. The process has nothing to do with the needs of citizens or encouraging democracy; it has everything to do with the corruption and machinations of the Democratic Party. Of course, I have no doubt that, given the chance, Republicans would do the same thing, and in fact they are doing so right now in other states.

No wonder the whole process only makes for anger and cynicism. Occupy Baltimore and all the other Occupiers across the country are exactly right. The problem is not one side or the other, it's both.